Every Eid, as I scroll through countless new dramas on YouTube, I hear the endless cries from my elders about the ‘thing’ being missing. This year, I figured that maybe the best way to figure it out was to experience it myself. 

For eyes so accustomed to the HD cameras that most dramas and films use these days, going back into the past was a major step back. Surely, the newer advanced cameras were failing to capture what the older audience was looking for. But was it only the visuals, or was there a major underlying issue?

While modern technology has brought upon a plethora of choices for viewers across platforms, it has significantly reduced attention spans. On their phones, people have reels and TikToks to scroll. 

On another app, there are countless OTT films that come at a meager rate. What this often leads to is the need for grabbing attention and, more importantly, holding that attention. Most films and dramas must start with a bang and must maintain that tempo before it gets too boring and gets eventually replaced by the user watching reels instead.

This fall in allowance over the years has hindered creative buildup of characters and therefore character depth. 

Think of a classic drama like ‘Aaj Robibar’. The drama does not begin with a bang; it begins with a slow yet interesting introduction of numerous personas. The characters are not just shown but demonstrated to create emotional depth. While modern-day films stick to telling the viewer about how ‘incredible’ or how ‘hilarious’ a character is, good character development lies in showing the audience what the fuss is all about. 

While the attention grabbers work well in the short run to give the audience a ‘wow’ factor, the impact fades away soon enough. On the other hand, when the drama is able to create a sense of relatability, it gives room for the viewer to breathe and live through the journey of the protagonist. When the elderly speak of films from their time, they do not mention the colorful, loud ones but these meaningful ones because they stay. 

Another major factor is the rapid commercialisation of a previously niche market of cinema. Back in the day, filmmaking was a rather expensive form of art. People who did make films did it more for the sake of art. However, as the economy expanded and the market eventually grew, the opportunities rose in the market. This brought in the ideas of profits into film-making more than ever, which sometimes is not that great. 

Capitalism, known for being a proponent of innovation, led to standardisation of dramas and cinema. When the producers start seeing art as a product, they add elements that are tried and tested. These elements loved by the masses work well, but the inclination towards creativity falls behind. Formulas are used, where directors begin with an emotional narrative revolving around a seemingly larger-than-life figure as protagonist, who in the passage of virtue often slips towards the darker side but comes back before the end of the film. Such developments are loved by the masses, but as mentioned earlier, lack the earned emotional authenticity. 

Another factor that cannot be helped is nostalgia. Good ol’ nostalgia. While I cannot relate to it myself, people do tend to look back at older days with a bit more softness. The critique of now may one day become the classic of old when the lenses become kinder and softer. 

Perhaps it is the imperfectness of older camera reels that makes people feel at home, because just like the camera, real life is imperfect too? Great films continue to emerge, such as the recently released ‘Utshob,’ which bravely maintains simplicity and garners audience acclaim. It is to be seen whether other films can take inspiration and bring more depth and authenticity to their pieces as well.